Picking up my Hybrid SEL today

[Blue Tom]

Hey folks.  Quick back story.  That's a lie.  Nothing I type is ever short nor quick.  Anyway.  I go through cars pretty often (kept my last one for 18 months; never had one more than 3 years), but my wife has kept the same car since she got it (when it was handed down from her father).  I got myself a new Cadillac in November, and we still planned on keeping her Acura indefinitely, since it served her purposes and showed no signs of slowing down at 125k.  But you know, I'm always shopping.  I've known for about a year which car I would get her if she needed a new one:  The Ford C-Max Hybrid.

 

During the Christmas break, I have lots of time to look at cars on the internet.  Somehow I get this crazy idea that we actually should get her a new car.  She has a baby coming, the electronics in the Acura are starting to go, she's finally learned to not run into the garage door (and everything else), etc.  Maybe if I move some things around in the budget (new kid notwithstanding), we could get her into something newer, nicer, safer, more efficient, and more comfortable.

 

Well, it wasn't but about a week later that I had convinced myself it was the right thing to do, and I was signing a lease for a 2014 C-Max Hybrid SEL with the 301A package.  With all of the discounts and incentives, and the currently desperate market for hybrids, how could I afford not to?  I would have preferred one of the higher trims, simply because I have this neurosis about having the best, but I had to draw the line somewhere in terms of budget and distance I was willing to travel to get it.  the foot-powered liftgate was deemed an unnecessary gimmick, as was the parking assist (regardless of how cool it is), and I couldn't find her anything else in the Ice Storm color, which she adores.

 

But I'll tell you a secret.  I wanted the car.  I like the idea of the C-Max.  Call me a European at heart (I seem to have a penchant for turbo wagons, diesels, and hatchback city cars).  It's unique and practical and kind of attractive in a butt-dragging puppy sort of way.  I think it offers great value for the money, especially in performance and driving experience vs. the Prius.  And also, since I sold my wagon and bought a small sport sedan, I felt compelled to add something new with cargo space to the garage.  Lumber ain't gonna drive itself home from the hardware store, after all.

 

So I had it all planned out, and luckily she liked the car and went along with the plan.  I had this dream of being able to walk into the garage each morning and just choose whichever car I wanted for the day.  With the Cadillac ATS 2.0T and the Ford C-Max Hybrid SEL, I'm livin' the dream, baby.

 

After spending a couple of days at the dealer getting windows tinted, navigation updated, TSBs addressed, etc., we'll be picking up the new C-Max this evening.  I'm big into forums, so I look forward to learning what I can from you more experience hybrid folks.  Cheers!

[finallycarforme]

Welcome!  I've had mine for a week and I absolutely love it.  That Ice Storm is a very pretty color.  This is what she'll do when she starts driving it:   :yahoo: Congrats on the new baby on the way.  

 

My mom has been driving an Acura since 1989, she's on her third.  I think the C-max would be perfect for her but she hesitates to go "down" to a Ford.  I'd be curious to know what you and your wife think of it after living with Acuras and Cadillacs.  

[Adrian_L]

"Go down" to a Ford?!   I previously drove a fully-loaded Audi A6, and honesty--I can't say that I miss anything about it OR find my C-max SEL a step down in terms of luxury.   The only thing that bugs me is that the C-max passenger seat doesn't have electric adjustments.  In terms of driving comfort, smoothness, quietness----it's all first class.

 

Trust me, when you're holding 8 bottles of wine in two shopping bags you will wish you had that foot operated hatch release.

[Blue Tom]

Yeah I don't think either of us feels like it's a step down in a meaningful sense.  By the time she got the Acura (it's an '04), it wasn't exactly luxurious anymore.  And if we're honest, that generation was really a luxury car only in badge.  For all intents and purposes, it's an Accord with a few extra gizmos.  (That's not to say that the newest Acura's aren't nice; they are).  Is the C-Max a luxury car?  No, of course not.  Is it as sleek and quiet and soft and supple and double-stitched as my Cadillac?  No, it's not.  Does it have the amazing seats and stereo and AWD of my old Volvo?  Nope.  Does it air-condition my butt, have speakers in the seats, or offer laser cruise control like my old Infiniti?  Sadly no.  But it's a damn fine car.  It is well thought out, and it does exactly what its market demographic needs from it.  And the price is right on.

 

My wife thought the Prius was really weird and uncomfortable, and that the RAV4 (even in Limited trim) felt cheaper than the C-Max.  I think the materials and technology are better than in the Mazda CX-5 or Mazda3.  If I could have found a 2014 SEL with 302A within a 2-hour drive, I would have gotten it.  But it seemed like the only ones I could find were leftover models that were fully loaded, with parking assist, sunroof, and sparkly paint.  And that just defeats the purpose of an affordable hybrid hatchback.  Hell, we would have been happy to find an SE model with navigation, but there were none to be had with heated seats (another wife requirement).  Speaking of heated seats, the ones in the C-Max are straight roasters.  I feel like I'll have grill marks on my thighs when I get up.

 

The power liftgate is surely handy when you need it most.  But since my Caddy turns on my lights, high beams, wipers, and seat heaters, and it starts the car remotely and locks it automatically when I leave; I feel like I should accept a car that requires me to open my own trunk.  And I would love to have a rear view camera (my only real beef is that they don't include that with every MyFord Touch car).  But alas...when you're buying last year's cars before the year-end incentives expire, compromises must be made.  I think we did really well, and that we'll be quite happy with the car.  Will of course report back once we've lived with it a while.

[Kelleytoons]

  I had this dream of being able to walk into the garage each morning and just choose whichever car I wanted for the day.  

 

And then you picked up the car, the wife drove it, and that dream went flying out the window (because she'll never let go of the Max :>).

[Adrian_L]

Don't get me started on those seat heaters.

 

Heat setting(1-5)

1.  Roasting

 

2.  Maybe if I'm hypothermic or been outside at -40 Celcius for an hour.

 

3.  Pancakes, anyone?

 

4.  Beach sand in Cyprus in June.

 

5.  TV dinner defrosted in 10 minues.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Adrian_L

[Ponypower]

Welcome and congratulations on new cMax

 

Need a extra ESP warranty Check out FloodFordESP.com they are cheaper than most dealers and offer 3 Extended Service plans

[Blue Tom]

And then you picked up the car, the wife drove it, and that dream went flying out the window (because she'll never let go of the Max :>).

 

No kidding.  She likes my ATS, but it's definitely low and dark and manly, for lack of a better way to describe it.  She's excited about the new C-Max, and I think the drive home from the dealership sealed that deal, to your point.

 

 

Don't get me started on those seat heaters.

 

You ain't kidding.  One more thing about the seats, though:  no position memory.  During the test drive, I noticed it, but I thought maybe it was something that had to be linked to each key fob through the vehicle settings.  But no.  I'm sure this is something that has been covered in these forums plenty of times, but it was just a surprise to find that they left it out.  I mean, cars have had memory seats since the 80s; frankly, I didn't know it was still just a luxury option these days.  Anyway, that's all.  It's only significant because my wife is 4' 11", and I'm...not.  So that's a lot of adjusting (seats, mirrors, steering wheel) for each driver.  More than anything else, I think that may end up keeping each of us to their own car.

[hybridbear]

One more thing about the seats, though:  no position memory.  During the test drive, I noticed it, but I thought maybe it was something that had to be linked to each key fob through the vehicle settings.  But no.  I'm sure this is something that has been covered in these forums plenty of times, but it was just a surprise to find that they left it out.  I mean, cars have had memory seats since the 80s; frankly, I didn't know it was still just a luxury option these days.  Anyway, that's all.  It's only significant because my wife is 4' 11", and I'm...not.  So that's a lot of adjusting (seats, mirrors, steering wheel) for each driver.  More than anything else, I think that may end up keeping each of us to their own car.

This is the biggest dislike my parents have with their C-Max. It's the biggest complain my wife & I have about our Focus Electric. But, Ford has to pick and choose which features to offer in each vehicle line and unfortunately they chose to not offer memory seats in any trim of the C-Max and the Focus, on which the C-Max is based. Early on there was some talk about using the memory seats module from an Escape in the C-Max since the C-Max has the same seats as the Escape, but with how connected cars are nowadays that isn't an option. :(

 

And I would love to have a rear view camera (my only real beef is that they don't include that with every MyFord Touch car).  But alas...when you're buying last year's cars before the year-end incentives expire, compromises must be made.

I thought the back-up camera was standard on the SEL trim level. Are you saying that you don't have a back-up camera?

[Adrian_L]

You need equipement group 302A to get power liftgate and rear view camera.

 

Good point about the memory seats.  My Audi had 3 settings which was great.   I'm 6' tall and find the C-max seats could do with a couple of extra inches of thigh support.

[BIG ROCCO]

Welcome!  I've had mine for a week and I absolutely love it.  That Ice Storm is a very pretty color.  This is what she'll do when she starts driving it:   :yahoo: Congrats on the new baby on the way.  

 

My mom has been driving an Acura since 1989, she's on her third.  I think the C-max would be perfect for her but she hesitates to go "down" to a Ford.  I'd be curious to know what you and your wife think of it after living with Acuras and Cadillacs.  

 

I have had 4 Cadillacs (1994-2008) and a 2005 Lincoln and currently drive a Buick Lacrosse.  The C-Max is my wife's car and she loves it and so do I, for what it is and what it cost and considering the gas mileage...BUT...I think in terms of features and interior and exterior build quality the C-Max is definitely a 1+ notches down from a Buick or Lincoln, and maybe 2+ notches down from a Cadillac.  I actually wish they made a Lincoln version, like they do of the Fusion

[finallycarforme]

I think in the case of my parents, it's actually more about the brand than the actual car.  They live in a very status conscious area and have driven luxury cars for decades.  I think the finishes on the C-Max are quite nice, but I've always driven Japanese "regular" cars, not luxury and I don't live in a place that has a Mercedes or Lexus in every driveway.  In terms of comfort and power, I think they'd like the C-Max a lot and it even has some bells and whistles they currently don't have in their slightly older luxury cars (if they got one optioned up, that is) but it's the perception of the brand that is actually more of the stumbling block.  Basically, they are snobs.  What I find interesting is that there is a Prius in every other driveway where they live because somehow that's cool even though the finishes are dreck compared to the C-Max.  Maybe when they visit and drive my car, they will be persuaded.  Newer cars have some safety features I'd like to see them have.  

[Adrian_L]

I guess the point I was trying to make is that after driving an Audi that was 86,000 CAD new (I didn't buy it new!)   I was worried that after making the decision to go hybrid or full-electric I would feel like I was back in my old '88 Honda Civic or something with a plastic-ey dash and tacky heater controls.  No way.  You can buy a Volt if you want that.

 

Sure, it isn't an Infinity or Cadillac but you have to pay for that, and I didn't want to go back to $100 fill-ups at the pump.  For the reasonable money I paid, I've got 5-position seat heaters, climate control, nav, panoramic roof, backup camera.  Nice soft materials on the dash.  Leather.  Plus great engineering and 52 mpg!   I can't tell if my Sony audio is better than the Bose in the Audi---same ballpark.

 

Yes, we also have a high car-snob population in Vancouver. 

[C-MaxSea]

Luxo lite (our C-Max) works very well for us as well - bye bye BMW.  Luxo barge, status vehicle, monster SUV, race car in a school zone - nah.

 

Nick

 

(How luxurious is too luxurious, said the Roman to the slave (carrying him from Brindisi to Roma))

Edited January 11, 2015 by C-MaxSea

[Cat Max]

 

Speaking of heated seats, the ones in the C-Max are straight roasters.  I feel like I'll have grill marks on my thighs when I get up.

 

The hotter the better, I LOVE how hot the seat gets though the menfolk whine, and mention something about mass die offs....

[Kelleytoons]

Hmmm, if I wasn't happily married I'd say something about a hot bottomed gal here...

 

(Wait.  Maybe I did).

[Blue Tom]

Sure, it isn't an Infinity or Cadillac but you have to pay for that, and I didn't want to go back to $100 fill-ups at the pump.

 

 

My ATS is supposed to be pretty efficient with its 2.0L turbo motor, but I still struggle to hit 300 miles off its 16 gal tank (premium, to boot).  I filled up the C-Max for $22 last night (with about 30 miles to empty).  After driving something like 420 miles on the last tank.  Tough to complain about that.